United States · United States Congress · 8 June 2020
Stop Using Military Force Against Civilians Act This bill limits the authority of the President, except in the case of a natural disaster, to call into service or use state militia or armed forces to provide aid to a state government following an insurrection or to enforce federal authority. After not more than 3 days, the President must withdraw any militia or armed forces unless an extension of not more than 14 days is enacted (not more than 2 additional authorizations for extension may be enacted).
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 2020
This resolution recognizes racism as a national public health crisis and supports the creation of a truth and reconciliation process to address historic, enduring systemic and structural racism against black people.
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 2020
Great American Outdoors Act This bill establishes the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund to support deferred maintenance projects on federal lands. For FY2021-FY2025, there shall be deposited into the fund an amount equal to 50% of all federal revenues from the development of oil, gas, coal, or alternative or renewable energy on federal lands and waters. Deposited amounts must not exceed $1.9 billion for any fiscal year. The fund must be used for priority deferred maintenance projects in specified systems that are administered by the National Park Service, the Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Bureau of Indian Education. The Government Accountability Office must report on the effect of the fund in reducing the backlog of priority deferred maintenance projects for the specified agencies. Additionally, the bill makes funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) permanent. The President shall annually report to Congress specified details regarding the allocation of funds to the LWCF. Congress may provide for alternate allocations using specified procedures.
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 2020
This concurrent resolution (1) affirms, on the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first slave ship, the U.S. debt of remembrance not only to those who lived through the injustices of slavery but also to their descendants; and (2) proposes a U.S. Commission on Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation to properly acknowledge, memorialize, and be a catalyst for progress, including toward permanently eliminating persistent racial inequities.
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 2020
George Floyd Law Enforcement Trust and Integrity Act of 2020 This bill requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to take specified steps to address accreditation standards, management operations, and misconduct of law enforcement. Specifically, it requires DOJ to develop uniform accreditation standards for law enforcement agencies and adopt policies and procedures to encourage law enforcement agencies to pursue accreditation. It authorizes DOJ to make grants to law enforcement agencies to obtain accreditation from certified organizations. The bill authorizes DOJ to make grants for studying law enforcement agency management and operations standards and developing pilot programs to address law enforcement misconduct. DOJ must study the prevalence and effect of any law, rule, or procedure that allows a law enforcement officer to delay the investigation and prosecution of complaints of law enforcement misconduct. The bill also establishes the Task Force on Law Enforcement Oversight to coordinate the detection and referral of complaints of alleged law enforcement misconduct. Law enforcement agencies must report data regarding practices on traffic violation stops, pedestrian stops, frisk and body searches, and use of deadly force. Finally, DOJ must create a medallion for survivors of each law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty and memorialized on the wall of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.
United States · United States Congress · 1 June 2020
Community Solutions for COVID-19 Act This bill provides funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to award grants to nongovernmental entities for programs to reduce or eliminate disparities related to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Eligible entities must have experience working to address issues related to health equity among those disproportionally impacted by adverse health outcomes. Grant funds may be used to improve access to testing, treatment, and other services with respect to COVID-19 and for other purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 1 June 2020
VoteSafe Act of 2020 This bill expands vote-by-mail and early in-person voting during the 2020 federal elections. It also directs polling places to follow certain guidance related to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) preparedness. Specifically, each state and local jurisdiction must permit no-excuse mail-in absentee voting. Among other things, each state and jurisdiction must (1) provide a mail-in ballot with prepaid return postage to each registered voter who requests such a ballot, (2) allow voters to submit online ballot requests, (3) allow voters to cure certain signature discrepancies, and (4) provide secured drop-off boxes from 45 days before the date of the election. Each state and local jurisdiction must maintain an early in-person voting period of at least 20 days. Additionally, each state must establish a plan to ensure that polling places are implementing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention related to COVID-19 preparedness. Among other requirements, each plan must (1) keep as many voting locations open as possible, (2) prepare polling locations to implement social distancing protocols, (3) provide sufficient quantities of hygiene and cleaning supplies at polling locations, and (4) provide additional compensation and protective equipment to poll workers. The Election Assistance Commission (EAC) must make a payment, within 30 days, to each state to carry out these requirements. Finally, the EAC must make payments to eligible states to carry out certain activities related to in-person voting, such as ensuring that elections are accessible to individuals with disabilities and implementing curbside voting.
United States · United States Congress · 1 June 2020
Evaluating Disparities and Outcomes of Telehealth During the COVID-19 Emergency Act of 2020 or the EDOT Act of 2020 This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to report on the effects of changes that were made during the public health emergency relating to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) with respect to the provision or availability of telehealth services under Medicare. Among other information, the report must include (1) a summary of all services utilized by Medicare beneficiaries during the emergency period, including the number of telehealth visits and in-person visits; (2) any changes in utilization compared to prior periods; and (3) demographic characteristics of beneficiaries who utilized telehealth services. The CMS must submit the required reports after the end of the emergency period, as specified. The CMS must also award grants to state Medicaid programs to allow them to report on similar information.
United States · United States Congress · 1 June 2020
Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act This bill establishes a grant program, as well as a new center within the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), to facilitate access to investigational therapies for neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (i.e., ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, a progressive and fatal disease). Specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must award grants for the provision of investigational drugs for ALS and other rapidly progressing neurodegenerative diseases through an expanded access (i.e., compassionate use) program. HHS may award these grants to (1) a small business that is the sponsor of an investigational new drug application, or (2) a participating clinical trial site for such a sponsor. Additionally, HHS must establish within the FDA a Center of Excellence for Neurodegenerative Diseases. The center shall have duties and authorities similar to those of the FDA's Oncology Center of Excellence, which helps expedite the development of medical products and assists providers in requesting access to investigational drugs.
United States · United States Congress · 27 May 2020
Skills Renewal Act This bill allows eligible individuals a refundable tax credit, up to $4,000 in a taxable year, for expenses paid for qualified training services. The bill defines qualified training service as a course or program of study that is listed in provisions of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act or that relates to computer science, technology, or another high-need area, such as a coding boot camp, that have been precertified by the Department of Labor; and eligible individual as an individual who became unemployed or furloughed in 2020 but was otherwise able to work and was available for work and has applied for or is receiving pandemic emergency unemployment compensation related to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019).
United States · United States Congress · 27 May 2020
Rural Broadband Acceleration Act This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to modify the framework for the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction, and it establishes a deadline for the FCC to create broadband service maps.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2020
National Guard COVID-19 Earned Benefits Guarantee Act This bill requires the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs to treat full-time National Guard duty performed in response to the national emergency with respect to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) as a period of not shorter than 90 days (i.e., the threshold usually required for eligibility for certain retirement and education benefits). Members of Congress are excluded and must deploy for not fewer than 90 days to receive similar benefits eligibility.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2020
This resolution expresses support for a National Day of Mourning and other actions to honor the lives lost due to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) once the pandemic has ended.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2020
National Guard COVID-19 Response Stability Act This bill extends the authority of a governor of a state to maintain the National Guard on active duty in connection with the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency through the date that is 30 days after the termination of the emergency.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2020
Improving Care in Home Health Agencies Act This bill allows the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to waive certain requirements during the public health emergency relating to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) with respect to Medicare coverage of home health services. Specifically, the bill allows the CMS to waive requirements relating to written (1) treatment plans that are signed and dated, (2) orders for care, (3) certification of eligibility, and (4) documentation of face-to-face encounters.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2020
This bill provides for the uniform treatment under existing COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) economic aid programs of nationally recognized statistical rating organizations approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission. This allows entities, securities, and other instruments with a credit rating from such an organization to use the rating to qualify for these aid programs. Furthermore, the Government Accountability Office must report on credit rating quality across organizations, their effect on access to capital markets, and the implementation of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2020
Protecting the Health of America's Older Adults During COVID-19 and Beyond Act This bill establishes a resource center and other programs to address the health needs of older adults. Specifically, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) must establish the National COVID-19 Resource Center for Older Adults and the Healthy Aging Program, respectively. The center must collaborate with state and local governments, Indian tribes and tribal organizations, and nonprofits to disseminate, and support the implementation of, best practices related to the care and well-being of older adults in a variety of settings during and after the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic. As part of the Healthy Aging Program, the CDC must, among other activities, coordinate public health interventions and multi-sector efforts, disseminate evidence-based practices and programs, and award grants or cooperative agreements to promote the health and well-being of older adults. Eligible grant recipients include health departments in states, specified territories and tribes, and large cities. Permitted uses of funds include improving data on older adult populations and linking health care and community services. In addition, the CDC must evaluate the activities of this program, including its impact on health disparities.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2020
Local News and Emergency Information Act of 2020 This bill expands the Paycheck Protection Program, established to support small businesses in response to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019), to include certain newspaper publishers, radio stations, and television broadcasters. Specifically, such a media purveyor is eligible to receive a paycheck protection loan if (1) the individual physical location that applies for the loan does not exceed Small Business Administration size standards (up to 1,000 employees for newspaper publishers and $41.5 million in gross receipts for radio and television broadcasters); and (2) the proceeds of the loan are used to support the continued provision of local news, information, content, or emergency information. Such a recipient may not remit any portion of a paycheck protection loan to any entity other than the individual physical location that is the loan's intended recipient.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2020
This resolution supports the designation of ALS Awareness Month and commends efforts to improve the quality and length of life for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2020
COVID-19 Youth Sports and Working Families Relief Act This bill modifies the tax credit for household and dependent care expenses necessary for employment to include expenses for youth physical activities. Youth physical activities include organized individual and team sports, fitness and exercise, recreation, and other physical activities for youth who have attained age 4, but not age 18. The credit is refundable for taxable years beginning in 2020. The bill also increases the dollar amount of the election for dependent care flexible spending arrangements. The bill directs the Department of the Treasury to establish a relief fund for youth sport providers that directly serve youths age 18 and younger. The fund must disburse amounts to (1) alleviate losses sustained due to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019), (2) sustain existing organizations that without assistance may fail or have to severely curtail operations, and (3) maintain youth participation capacity.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2020
Black History is American History Act This bill requires entities (e.g., institutions of higher education, libraries, and museums), in order to be eligible for certain grants administered by the Department of Education (ED), to include Black history in their teaching of American history. It also requires Black history to be included in tests administered by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Specifically, the bill mandates the inclusion of Black history as a required component of American history for such entities to be eligible for American History and Civics Academies' competitive grants. These grants support the establishment of (1) Presidential Academies for Teachers of American History and Civics, which offer workshops to teachers of American history and civics to strengthen their knowledge and prepare them to teach in these subjects; and (2) Congressional Academies for Students of American History and Civics, which support high school students in developing an understanding of these subjects. (Currently, Black history is not a required component of American history for either academy.) In addition, ED must give priority to grant applicants that align their activities with programs and resources of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of African American History and Culture. The bill also requires the inclusion of Black history in tests administered by the NAEP, which measures student academic achievement in various subjects.
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2020
Nursing Facility Quality Reporting Act of 2020 This bill provides statutory authority for the requirement that Medicare skilled nursing facilities and Medicaid nursing facilities report data regarding COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) preparedness, testing, infections, and deaths. Additionally, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must publish on the Nursing Home Compare website certain demographic information, aggregated by state, with respect to COVID-19 infections and deaths in such facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2020
Health Force and Resilience Force Act of 2020 This bill establishes and expands programs to bring on individuals to perform public health functions, such as contact tracing and vaccine administration, to respond to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) emergency and meet other public health needs after that emergency ends. The bill provides funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to establish a Health Force to recruit and train individuals for roles in public health and health care. The funds are designated as an emergency requirement, which exempts the funds from discretionary spending limits and other budget enforcement rules. Among other activities, the CDC must award grants to, or enter into contracts with, states and other jurisdictions to hire and deploy Health Force personnel. The Federal Emergency Management Agency must hire and train additional individuals for its Cadre of On-Call Response/Recovery Employees. These employees may be detailed to certain federal agencies or to state, local, or tribal governments to support efforts with respect to COVID-19 and other disasters and emergencies.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2020
Emergency Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stabilization Act of 2020 This bill authorizes the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to award additional grants under the Emergency Solutions Grant program to provide rental assistance for short-term and medium-term housing to homeless individuals or families, or those who are at risk of homelessness, and expands eligibility for such additional assistance. For assistance provided under the bill, the term at risk of homelessness shall include individuals and families that have an income below 80% of the median income for the area (rather than 30% of the area median income, as under current law). Rental assistance provided under the bill shall generally be limited to 120% of the HUD-established fair market rent for the area, whereas currently rental assistance under the program is generally limited to 100% of an area's fair market rent. Such assistance may not be conditioned on any prerequisite activities, such as receiving treatment. HUD may, with some limitations, waive requirements or establish alternative requirements related to such assistance if doing so is necessary to respond to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2020
VoteSafe Act of 2020 This bill expands vote-by-mail and early in-person voting during the 2020 federal elections. It also directs polling places to follow certain guidance related to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) preparedness. Specifically, each state and local jurisdiction must permit no-excuse mail-in absentee voting. Among other things, each state and jurisdiction must (1) provide a mail-in ballot with prepaid return postage to each registered voter who requests such a ballot, (2) allow voters to submit online ballot requests, (3) allow voters to cure certain signature discrepancies, and (4) provide secured drop-off boxes from 45 days before the date of the election. Each state and local jurisdiction must maintain an early in-person voting period of at least 20 days. Additionally, each state must establish a plan to ensure that polling places are implementing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention related to COVID-19 preparedness. Among other requirements, each plan must (1) keep as many voting locations open as possible, (2) prepare polling locations to implement social distancing protocols, (3) provide sufficient quantities of hygiene and cleaning supplies at polling locations, and (4) provide additional compensation and protective equipment to poll workers. The Election Assistance Commission (EAC) must make a payment, within 30 days, to each state to carry out these requirements. Finally, the EAC must make payments to eligible states to carry out certain activities related to in-person voting, such as ensuring that elections are accessible to individuals with disabilities and implementing curbside voting.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2020
National Public Health Corps Act of 2020 This bill directs the National Civilian Community Corps to establish a national public health service program as a component of the Corps program to ensure the preparation and assignment of participants under such program to units which shall serve service sites in response to public health emergencies, including the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2020
Medicare Accelerated and Advance Payments Improvement Act of 2020 This bill establishes and otherwise modifies requirements for the Medicare Accelerated and Advance Payment Program during the public health emergency relating to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). The program provides Medicare payments in advance to eligible providers experiencing claims or cash flow disruptions, such as during national emergencies; the program was specifically expanded in response to COVID-19 to encompass more types of providers, subject to certain recoupment and repayment provisions. Under the current program, recoupment of advance payments (through claims offsets) begins up to four months after the payment is made. Additionally, certain hospitals have one year to repay the full amount; other types of providers have seven months. Repayments made after this period are subject to the prevailing interest rate set by the Department of the Treasury (generally around 10% in FY2020). The bill delays recoupment for one year and caps the recoupment at 25% of a claim. The bill also gives all providers up to two years for full repayment and caps the interest rate at 1%. Additionally, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) may waive repayment entirely upon a demonstration of extreme hardship, among other factors. The bill also requires the CMS to continue to make the program available to providers of Medicare medical services for the duration of the public health emergency. (The CMS suspended the program for such providers on April 26, 2020.)
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2020
Supporting Connectivity for Higher Education Students in Need Act This bill establishes and provides funds for the Emergency Higher Education Connectivity Fund. Specifically, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) must use the fund to support institutions of higher education (IHEs) in providing broadband internet access service, videoconferencing systems and services used for distance learning, and equipment (e.g., computers, Wi-Fi hotspots, and other one-time costs) to enrolled students during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency. The bill requires the NTIA, in consultation with the Department of Education, to promulgate regulations within 14 days related to support for IHEs. Among other things, the regulations must prioritize support for IHEs that receive certain institutional grants, including historically Black colleges and universities, minority-serving institutions, and rural-serving institutions; require IHEs to prioritize support for students who are eligible for need-based financial aid; and establish a schedule of reasonable per-student funding amounts for eligible services and equipment.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2020
Children's Health Insurance Program Pandemic Enhancement and Relief Act or the CHIPPER Act This bill extends the 11.5% increase to the enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) that is otherwise applicable under the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) through FY2021, in accordance with specified conditions. For example, in order to receive the increased FMAP in FY2021, a state must cover, without cost-sharing, testing and treatment for COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019), including vaccines, specialized equipment, and therapies.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2020
Farm to Food Bank Enhancement Act of 2020 This bill authorizes the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide enhanced funding to states to pay for projects to harvest, process, package, or transport donated commodities. USDA must issue guidance to states to encourage them to carry out projects that work with agricultural producers, processors, and distributors who grow or market products that have seen decreased demand due to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) outbreak and cannot easily be repackaged for grocery or retail sale. To be eligible for funding, a state must submit a plan of operation for a project that includes (1) a list of emergency feeding organizations in the state that are willing to partner with the state; (2) a list of priority agricultural products located in the state that are for donation to emergency feeding organizations and ready for transport; (3) a description of how the project will serve certain purposes, including to provide food to individuals in need; and (4) a timeline for the project. USDA may reallocate unexpended funds to other eligible states if it determines that a state will not use all of its allocated funds. The bill allows states to enter into cooperative agreements with other states to maximize the use of donated commodities. USDA must make specified documents publicly available on its website, including any guidance issued to states in accordance with the bill.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2020
Improving Telehealth for Underserved Communities Act of 2020 This bill establishes a particular Medicare payment methodology for telehealth services furnished by federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics during the public health emergency relating to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Specifically, the bill requires payments to be made in accordance with the same methodology that is used for non-telehealth services, rather than in accordance with a separate methodology determined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2020
COVID-19 Racial and Ethnic Disparities Task Force Act of 2020 This bill establishes the COVID-19 Racial and Ethnic Disparities Task Force within the Department of Health and Human Services and sets forth its duties and membership. The task force must provide reports and recommendations related to racial and ethnic disparities in the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) response to Congress and relevant federal agencies. First, the task force must report weekly on COVID-19 infections and patient outcomes with data disaggregated by race and ethnicity. The reports must also identify communities with high levels of racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 measures and recommend how to allocate health care and other resources to address these disparities. Second, the task force must report biweekly on the disbursement of federal COVID-19 relief funds and how to use any undisbursed funds to address racial and ethnic disparities. Lastly, the task force must submit a final report that describes factors that contributed to racial and ethnic disparities with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic, with recommendations to address them in responses to future infectious disease outbreaks. The task force terminates 90 days after the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency . However, the bill permanently establishes a successor task force to address racial and ethnic disparities during future public health emergencies.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2020
Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Extension Act of 2020 This bill extends for five years the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program, through which Medicare pays certain rural hospitals on the basis of reasonable incurred costs rather than under the standard prospective payment system.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2020
Direct Support for Communities Act This bill provides FY2020 supplemental appropriations to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to award additional Community Development Block Grants to units of local government and counties to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus (i.e., the virus that causes COVID-19). Specifically, within 30 days, HUD must distribute 50% of such funds to metropolitan cities and other units of local government and 50% to counties and parishes. Such funds may be used to cover costs or replace lost, delayed, or decreased revenues stemming from the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency. In addition, the funds are designated as an emergency requirement, which exempts the funds from discretionary spending limits and other budget enforcement rules.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2020
American Opportunity Student Tax Relief Act of 2020 This bill increases the dollar amounts of the American Opportunity and Lifetime Learning tax credits for taxable years beginning in 2020 and increases the refundable portions of such credits. It also expands the tax exclusion for Pell Grants and makes such expanded exclusion retroactive to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2019. The bill also allows a tax exclusion beginning in 2020 for any emergency financial aid grant amount received by a student in response to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019).
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 2020
Coronavirus Frontline Workers Fair Pay Act This bill provides hazard pay, in addition to regular pay, to specified health care and essential workers during calendar year 2020. Health care workers, which include physicians and support staff, among others, are eligible for a maximum of $35,000 in aggregate hazard pay. Essential workers, as determined by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, are eligible for a maximum of $25,000 in aggregate hazard pay. The Department of the Treasury must make payments to employers based on an employer's quarterly projections of the number of hours worked by eligible employees, including specified hours worked prior to the enactment of this bill. Employers must issue hazard payments to eligible employees not later than 14 days after receiving such payment from Treasury. The bill establishes and provides funding for the Coronavirus Essential and High-Risk Health Care Workers Hazard Payment Fund to implement this program.
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 2020
Student Loan Forgiveness for Frontline Health Workers Act This bill establishes temporary programs to provide federal and private student loan forgiveness to certain frontline health care workers. Frontline health care workers are those individuals who have made significant contributions to the medical response (e.g., patient care, medical research, or testing) to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) national emergency. Specifically, the Department of Education (ED) must carry out a program to forgive the outstanding balance of principal and interest due on federal student loans for borrowers who are frontline health care workers. Additionally, the Department of the Treasury must carry out a program to repay in full the outstanding balance of principal and interest due on certain private student loans for borrowers who are frontline health care workers. ED and Treasury must coordinate to ensure that eligibility determinations are consistent across both programs and that frontline health care workers who are eligible for both programs may apply for loan forgiveness with a single application. Further, such programs must be available to frontline health care workers who were borrowers of eligible loans and who died as a result of COVID-19. The bill specifies the notification requirements related to the availability of these programs. ED, Treasury, and the Department of Health and Human Services must jointly establish an intergovernmental working group to assist with the administration of these programs, including the development of the application process. The bill also excludes discharged student loan debt under these programs from an individual's gross income.
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 2020
Local Chamber, Tourism, and 501(c)(6) Protection Act of 2020 This bill modifies the Paycheck Protection Program implemented by the Small Business Administration in response to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) to include certain entities and exclude certain individuals. Specifically, the bill expands the program to encompass organizations with 300 or fewer employees that (1) operate under section 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code (other than a professional football league), or (2) are a destination marketing organization engaged in promoting communities and facilities to businesses and leisure travelers. The bill also narrows the definition of payroll costs under the program to exclude any compensation of an employee who is a registered lobbyist from the calculation for loan amounts or for allowable uses of funds provided under the program.
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 2020
Pandemic Response and Opportunity Through National Service Act This bill expands, and modifies the priorities and administration of, national service programs, including AmeriCorps and Senior Corps, to address the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic and its recovery period. Among other changes, the bill increases the number of national service positions, as well as the living allowances and other benefits associated with these positions. The living allowance is also excluded from gross income for federal tax purposes. In addition, the Corporation for National and Community Service must (1) establish a pilot project to allow state service commissions to directly place individuals, and (2) disseminate national service opportunities through a promotional campaign and other means.
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 2020
Opportunities for Heroes Act of 2020 This bill establishes the Essential Employment Commission and directs the commission to publish a list of types of employment that are essential during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) crisis. The bill provides essential workers with student loan relief of up to $25,000, and an education credit of up to $25,000. These benefits may be applied to an essential worker's spouse or children.
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 2020
Strengthening Unemployment Insurance for Coronavirus Impacted Workers and Students Act This bill expands eligibility for pandemic unemployment assistance to include individuals with no recent attachment to the workforce (e.g., students), extends the availability of federal pandemic unemployment compensation, and provides federal pandemic unemployment compensation to individuals working reduced hours.
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 2020
Critical Access Hospital Expansion Act of 2020 This bill allows states to certify additional hospitals as necessary providers of services that may qualify as critical access hospitals (CAHs) under Medicare. Currently, a hospital must have been certified prior to January 1, 2006, in order to qualify as a CAH and accordingly receive special payment under Medicare.
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 2020
Emergency COVID Telehealth Response Act This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to allow, when exercising its waiver authority, the following providers to furnish telehealth services under Medicare during the public health emergency relating to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019): physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, speech-language pathologists, clinical social workers, and audiologists. (Currently, the CMS is authorized to waive requirements for Medicare telehealth services during the public health emergency, and it has done so to allow all providers that are otherwise eligible to furnish in-person services under Medicare to also furnish telehealth services.)
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 2020
COVID-19 Testing, Reaching, And Contacting Everyone (TRACE) Act This bill authorizes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to award grants for testing, contact tracing, monitoring, and other activities to address COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Entities such as federally qualified health centers, nonprofit organizations, and certain hospitals and schools are eligible to receive such grants. In awarding the grants, the CDC shall prioritize applicants that (1) operate in hot spots and medically underserved communities, and (2) agree to hire individuals from the communities where grant activities occur.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2020
Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2020 This bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and others to undertake efforts to reduce health disparities. For example, the bill (1) requires more detailed reporting of demographic and health disparities data, (2) directs certain components of HHS to support health workforce diversity, and (3) increases access to culturally and linguistically appropriate health care. The bill also modifies eligibility and other requirements for Medicare, Medicaid, private health insurance, and other programs to reduce health disparities among vulnerable populations. The bill includes specific provisions with respect to noncitizens; maternal, infant, and child health; mental and behavioral health; and specified conditions that disproportionately affect racial and ethnic minority groups, such as certain cancers, HIV/AIDs, kidney disease, and diabetes. Additionally, the bill (1) revises health information technology programs to address health disparities; (2) establishes an Office of Health Disparities within HHS, as well as civil rights compliance offices within HHS agencies; and (3) supports health impact assessments and other efforts pertaining to environmental justice and social determinants of health. The Government Accountability Office must report on health workforce diversity and other specified issues related to health care and health disparities.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2020
Domestic Violence Public Health Emergency Guidance Act This bill requires the Department of Justice to issue guidance to law enforcement agencies on best practices for addressing domestic violence and protecting the safety of law enforcement officers during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2020
Supporting State and Local Leaders Act This bill repeals the prohibition against granting federal, state, and local governments a tax credit for paid sick and paid family and medical leave.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2020
This bill requires private health insurance plans to cover certain services provided via telecommunications systems (i.e., telehealth) during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency. Specifically, the telehealth services must be deemed medically necessary by a health care provider and covered under the plan if provided in person. Plans must apply the same cost-sharing and reimbursement amounts that would otherwise apply to such services and may waive cost-sharing requirements for any services to diagnose or treat COVID-19, including via telehealth.
United States · United States Congress · 24 April 2020
Girls' Leadership, Engagement, Agency, and Development Act of 2019 or the Girls LEAD Act This bill directs the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to jointly report to Congress a strategy to strengthen the participation of adolescents, particularly girls, in democracy, human rights, and governance. The State Department and the USAID shall (1) implement activities to achieve this goal, including activities to increase adolescent girls' civic and political knowledge and skills and address barriers to political participation; and (2) prioritize foreign assistance funding for democracy, human rights, and governance programs toward achieving the goals in this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 23 April 2020
Immediate COVID Testing Procurement Act This bill requires the President, within 24 hours of this bill's enactment, to issue purchase orders for a program of the highest national urgency (commonly known as a DX purchase order) to procure under the Defense Production Act of 1950 (DPA) supplies to conduct COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) medical testing nationwide. The supplies must have received prior approval from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or have received emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration for the detection of COVID-19. The bill waives certain DPA requirements relating to industrial resource and critical technology shortfalls and notification to Congress.
![Official portrait of Rep. Sewell, Terri A. [D-AL-7]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/s001185_200.jpg)